Southern Rail strike: Julia and rail journalist get angry with each other during nationalisation debate

A leading journalist has dismissed nationalisation as a potential solution to the Southern Rail strike during a debate with Julia Hartley-Brewer which ended with both sides getting angry with the other.

Today marks the second day of industrial action by train drivers against Southern Rail. No trains are operating on the network, although Southern and the Rail, Maritime, and Transport Union (RMT) are preparing to meet for talks at the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS).

With the Government saying it might consider banning strikes on the railway lines, the ongoing strike has renewed calls for British rail networks to be taken back under public ownership.

However Sim Harris, the editor of Rail News, dismissed the idea during his interview with Julia, saying "it doesn't solve anything because the dispute is about what staff you should have on trains, whether you need a second member of the trains and what they actually do."

He added that "nationalisation isn’t going to be a magic cure for this problem."

Harris claimed that Julia was refusing to listen to him, but Julia got equally cross with her interviewee, claiming he wouldn't let her finish her questions.